


Four Winds - Legend of Korra

by orphan_account



Series: Story Starter Prompts [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Airbending, Alternate Universe - Timeline Shuffling, Avatar, Earthbending, Firebending, Gen, Korra Isn't the Avatar, One-Shot, Vigilante AU, Waterbending, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24881398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Asami bends air.Korra bends water.Bolin bends earth.Mako bends fire.Not a single one of them are the new Avatar. But they still control all four elements.
Relationships: Bolin & Mako (Avatar), Jinora & Kai (Avatar), Korra + Asami Sato (Avatar), Pema/Tenzin (Avatar)
Series: Story Starter Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1800397
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	Four Winds - Legend of Korra

There's a urban legend, on the streets of Republic City. Of four spirits, who each are the masters of an element. Four spirits, who protect the people, who bend the elements to their will, who are silent and efficient, never seen unless they wish it. They are said to dress in black, faces hidden, with only their eyes shown. They are said to be siblings, who crossed over from the Spirit World. They are said to be the protectors of the city.

What is not said is their true names. Only called by their elements.

But behind the masks, are four citizens. Korra, of the Southern Water Tribe. Asami, an airbender, gifted the talent after the Harmonic Convergence. Bolin and Mako, brothers of an Earth Kingdom father and a Fire Nation mother, both benders. They've all been wronged before. And while not a single one of them is an Avatar, together, they can wield all four elements in harmony, as one of the only four element bending teams in living memory.

* * *

Yoka didn't exactly want to be the Avatar. When she'd first bent earth, she'd ran screaming back to her house, tears flowing from her eyes as she sobbed. She didn't want to be the Avatar. She just wanted to be herself. But there really wasn't much choice. She'd said good-bye to her cousin, Korra, and left the house with her parents, leaving with the White Lotus to train.

At the same time, Korra had left. She'd gone to the mainland, wanting to explore the world, get away from the South Pole and the never ending ice and snow and tundra. Yoka leaving to be trained had been just the excuse the waterbender had needed. The older girl had bid farewell to Yoka and her aunt and uncle, and started towards the mainland, taking the small fishing boat that wouldn't be needed anymore as her transport, promising to send letters.

That had been years ago. And Yoka had only gotten a few letters since. Once or twice a year. Not nearly as consistent as she would have liked.

"Hey."

Yoka looked up, to see Jinora, the brunette's master's tattoo proudly displayed on her forehead and the backs of her hands. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Go ahead." Yoka said, shifting over. She made a fist above the snow beside her, causing it to flatten, and earth to rise up in it's place. It was only slightly warmer then the snow, but it was still warmer. Jinora smiled, and sat down, her legs crossed. The two girls sat in silence, staring out across the ocean. Yoka drew a breath in, and before she could back down, asked her question. "What's the plan with my airbending training?"

"Dad's trying to figure that out right now." Jinora sighed, taking ahold of her ankles with each hand. "I think that you should come to Republic City - not that they're asking for my opinion. He's got the council so we can't really stay. I guess I could train you here, but I've never really trained anyone before, at least, not on my own. And I'm needed back in Republic City, training the others."

"Are the Equalists still around?"

"Yeah." Jinora grumbled, scowling. It didn't look very good on her. "The thing is, none of them know who the others are, so even if we catch one, we don't learn anything. They're not told the plans until they happen."

"So your dad wants me to stay away."

"They haven't come after us yet." Jinora pointed out. "And you can easily pass as just another airbending trainee. I think that it's the right choice. Dad's not convinced though. Aunt Kya and Uncle Bumi - Aunt Kya thinks it's a good idea. Uncle Bumi doesn't seem to really care."

"Ha." Yoka shook her head, a thin lock of hair falling free from her bun. She reached up, tucking it behind her ear. "So, how are the others? Last I checked, you guys only had a few benders."

"Kai's mastered ten levels." Jinora reported, eyes lightning up. "Bumi's at nine. Opal's also at nine. We've got four others, all at level six. Ikki's at thirty-one right now, she'll be a master soon enough."

"What about Meelo?"

"He's at twenty. He's having issues with it, but he'll figure it out. I had some problems with twenty too. Ikki struggled with seventeen." Jinora fell silent, searching for a new topic. "Have you heard from Korra lately? Where's she at?"

"I haven't." Yoka's shoulders sagged, and she tugged at the fringe of her parka. "No letters. Not for the past six months. She was in the Fire Kingdom then, on one of the outer islands. Haven't heard anything since."

"She's tough." Jinora said. "She can take care of herself."

Yoka scoffed, smiling up at her friend. "Don't I know it."

"She's probably kicking someone's butt right now."

* * *

"Korra!"

"What?"

Korra looked up from the scroll she'd been studying, in time to see Asami Sato flying at her. Korra let out a yelp, and dropped the book she'd been reading, bringing her arms up to protect herself. The two girls collided, sending them both to the ships deck with a _thump_. Korra groaned, pushing Asami off of herself, and the airbender stood up, offering a hand to the Water Tribe girl. Korra accepted it, letting Asami haul her to her feet.

"What exactly were you doing again?"

"I was practicing with the fans." Asami grumbled, pointing across the boat's deck, to where a pair of metal fans, done in black, with light blue detailing, were discarded on the planks. "I overdid the last strike."

"You remind me of Yoka." Korra said, picking up her book and sitting back down on the ground, crossing her legs. "She always overdid the final strike. Set her off-balance, made it easy to take her out."

"Did you beat your cousin up often?" Asami asked, going to pick up the fans. She began to run through the motions from the beginning, snapping both objects open with a neat flick of her wrist, motions smooth. "Or just on her birthdays?"

The two girls were on Korra's boat, the craft painted a dark blue, the sails down, the anchor in place. They were outside of Republic City waters, but still in view of the statue of Avatar Aang. It was where they always went when Asami wanted to practice her airbending. It was far enough out of the city that they wouldn't be noticed, they would have a clear view of anyone coming, and it was fairly peaceful.

"I didn't beat Yoka up." Korra said with an eye roll. "She just wasn't good at fighting."

"So you kicked her around?"

"I healed her afterwards!"

"Because that makes it better."

" _Asami_."

Asami grinned, twirling her fans around behind her back as she ducked an invisible strike, before bringing them around and together, creating a gust of wind that rocked the boat. Korra put her book aside to watch, placing a palm on the deck of the ship, stabilizing them. "Elbows in, remember?"

"I remember." Asami grumbled, but tucked her elbows in all the same, twisting in a sort of cartwheeling kick, fans behind her back once more. "Wish I could get a proper teacher."

"Well, you could." Korra reasoned, as Asami moved through a trio of kicks, each one feeding into the next. "But currently you're missing, possibly dead, so that's not exactly possible, is it? And even if you were to show up, you're believed to be an Equalist, or Equalist-like. A person of interest, at the very least."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Asami said, flipping backwards. Her grip on the fans altered how she had to touch down, and she slipped, shoulder slamming down onto the deck. "Dammit."

"You're getting better." Korra said, as Asami sat up, closing the fans and setting them aside, rubbing at her shoulder. She was barefoot, like Korra was, in shorts and a loose shirt, which she'd found worked well when she was learning new techniques. It was a discovery she'd made after questioning why the airbenders wore the clothing they did. "It's something, at least."

"Still." Asami winced, rubbing her shoulder, then stood up, picking up the fans. She started again. "What time is it?"

"Evening?" Korra guessed. "I'm really not sure. It's not like we have a clock. Actually, we should probably get a clock."

"No kidding." Asami said, her motions rocking the boat once more as she danced back and forth across the deck. Korra set both hands down on the deck, and it evened out once more. "Should we head back to pick up Bolin and Mako?"

Korra checked the sky. "Yeah, probably. Getting late."

"Just let me finish this set."

"Sure."

Korra rose to her feet, picking up her book, and headed to the back of the ship. She opened the small hatch, and walked down the few stairs, into the living quarters. It wasn't much, with a pair of bunk beds on one wall, with a small cupboard and bookshelf between them, a bench wrapped around the rest of the room, with a table at the front end. Korra slotted the book into the shelf, which had a board across the spines, to keep the books in place, and checked the cupboard, making sure it wouldn't swing open while they were moving.

Asami came down a few minutes later, and lifted one of the benches, revealing a hidden storage area, where a folded set of black clothes rested, along with a metal bracelet. Asami set the fans down, and retrieved the bracelet instead, clipping it around her wrist, before she closed the compartment once more. "You want help?"

"Nah, I'll just bend us back." Korra said, waving Asami's offer aside, as she stepped back up towards the deck. "Feel free to join me."

"Alright." Asami said, sitting down on one of the bunks, and pulling a small notebook and pen out from under the pillow. "I'm going to look over the plans for tonight, see if I missed anything. Call me if you need me."

"Will do!"

Ever since the start of the Equalist movement, ever since the group had learned that Asami's father, Hiroshi, was a member of the Equalists, they'd limited their use of bending - well, Korra had, mostly, and Asami's airbending had been kept a secret from everyone but the other three, and her father, which left Bolin and Mako. The two brothers weren't known by everyone, but those who did know them, knew them to be benders. All the same, they'd limited their use of the elements. Korra had stopped bending in public, and Asami had never bent in public in the first place.

It was for their own safety. None of them wanted to loose their bending, and the less people who knew they were benders, the less people who could tell the Equalists, and the lower the chance of them losing their bending.

So instead of bending the water around the ship, Korra brought the sail down by hand, although she did lift the anchor with bending. Then, she set the craft towards shore, hands on the steering oar, calm and confident in her abilities.

* * *

"Korra! Over here!"

The shout came from a boy with a ferret on his shoulders, who stood at the end of the docs, waving his arms above his head. Beside him, a taller, wiry man stood, arms held at his sides, hands in loose fists. Korra grinned, and angled the ship towards them, leaning back with her weight to guide the sail into the correct position, before she looped the rope she held around it's anchor point, and collected another, vaulting over the side of the boat and onto the dock. With a swift motion, she secured her craft to the dock, and rose, offering Asamai a hand up.

The airbender silently declined, leaning against the ships railing, grinning up at the two boys. "Find anything interesting?"

"Not really." Mako admitted, crossing his arms, and looking out across the bay with a sigh. "You guys?"

"Asami managed to throw herself into me." Korra offered, her feet still bare as she stepped towards Bolin, greeting him with a hug. She stood out in the group as Water Tribe, her dark blue sleeveless top and black leggings not exactly traditional, but better suited for the more mild climate of Regional City. "That's about it."

"Your book?"

"Nothing I didn't already know." Korra said with a sigh, giving Mako a light, one-armed embrace, and then stepping back so the four of them were standing in a loose circle. "So, what we want to do for dinner?"

"We have some rice that Mako can heat up." Asami suggested thoughtfully. "Or we can go into town, stop at a cafe."

"I'd rather eat here." Mako said. "I don't want to be overheard."

"So..." Bolin reached up to scratch Pabu under the chin. "Rice bowls?"

"Sounds good." Korra said, vaulting back onto the deck, landing in a crouch. Both Bolin and Mako hoped on, causing the ship to rock slightly in the waves. "We can head in after nightfall, go over the plan while we eat."

* * *

"We sure that it'll be happening here then?" Mako asked, an hour or so later. The four benders were gathered in the ships hold, and three of them had finished eating. Bolin was still chomping away at his rice, while Pabu was curled around his shoulders like a scarf, occasionally getting scraps. The ferret was fairly self-sufficient, able to snatch little scraps of food for himself on the streets, and keeping himself well-fed, but he was also a bit greedy, and Bolin liked to share with the animal.

"Reasonably." Asami assured him. "The pro-bending matches won't be attacked until someone of note attends them, to see them in person. Like Lin, or Tenzion, or someone. That way they get the most attention."

"Tenzion's too spiritual for that." Korra said from her bunk, where she was twisting a small orb of water through the air above her head. The entire cabin was closed off, the door shut and locked, curtains pulled across the small windows, the space lit by a pair of lanterns that hung from the ceiling. "He doesn't like bending matches. Lin's too busy, I think, and the others are way too high and mighty."

"You know what I mean." Asami chided, leaning forwards on the small table, which was covered by a map of the city, printed by a machine, and drawn on by hand. She tapped her lips with the tip of her pen, thinking. "Nothing's happening tonight though. We can either run around exhausting ourselves, or we can get some sleep and be ready for when it really happens."

"Sleep." Bolin and Korra said at the same time, as the latter made a fist, frost crackling over the surface of her water, forming a perfect sphere. A tiny hole appeared in the top of it, and she drained it of water, creating another sphere of ice, and then a third, brows furrowing in concentration. "My eyes hurt from reading all day. Also, we need a clock."

"Add it to the list." Mako sighed, leaning back against the ships hull, and closing his eyes. "Anything else we need to go over tonight?"

"Not really." Asami said, and she started to fold up the map, tugging the corners out from under the bowls they'd been using to hold it down. The ship rocked gently with the waves, knocking against the dock quietly, and she moved across the floor without any issues, returning it to it's place inside the cupboard door. "Although, I should mention; we saw one of the flying bison leave, head south."

"You think Yoka is getting airbending training?" Bolin asked, holding up his rice bowl for Pabu to lick clean. "It's gotta be about time, right? She's what? Fifteen?"

"Just about." Korra shattered all three of her ice orbs, melting them back into water, and lifting both hands. In a motion she'd taken from Asami's airbending, she started to create a whirlpool in midair. "She started earth when she was six or so."

"That can't possibly be enough time to have mastered three elements." Mako said, opening his eyes. "Even if she is the Avatar."

"The Avatar doesn't have to master all of them." Asami reminded them, sitting down on the bed below Korra's. "As long as they can retain control and are sufficiently trained, they can move on to the next."

"Yeah." Korra agreed, rolling over and aiming her water at the waterskin that hung on the opposing wall. She relaxed, closing her eyes, and rolled back onto her back, hands folded on her stomach. "Some Avatar's don't even do it in order. Most do though. Can we sleep now?"

"Once Bolin cleans up." Mako said, giving his brother a glare.

"What? I was hungry."

"Still your night to clean." Asami said dryly, rubbing at her eyes. "And this conversation is officially over. My eyes hurt."

"Not the only one."

"Can we sleep yet?"

"Shut up Korra."

"You shut up."

"Why don't we all shut up?"

"..."

"We're all in agreement, right?"

" _Bolin!_ "

"They're back!" Bolin called, his shout drawing the attention of Mako and Asami, who'd been going over idea's in the hull, while Bolin tried to teach Pabu a new trick - without much success on-deck, with Korra perched on the top of the mast. The air and fire benders came racing up from below, to look at what Bolin had spotted. The earthbender beamed at them, and pointed up to the sky.

Indeed, on the horizon a dot was slowly growing bigger. Korra, with the best viewpoint, leaned forwards, feet braced against the mast, one hand gripping the wood as she squinted. "Looks like a flying bison. Not that there's a lot of flying creatures around anyways, that we could see from this far out."

They were outside of the bay once more, in their usual spot. It was simply safer for them. Yes, barely anyone knew they were benders - save for Bolin and Mako, and nobody knew about Asami - but people could still easily attack them if they were on the deck. At night, it was a different matter, but during the day, it was smarter to be out of the city as much as they possibly could.

"There's a boat." she reported, jumping down from the mast, off their boat. The water rose up to meet her, wrapping around her torso, and lightly setting her back down on the deck, not even getting the others wet. "Below the bison."

"You think they're bringing Yoka?" Asami asked, and Korra shrugged.

"Well, I doubt her animal companion is a penguin, so yeah, I'd guess they'd have to take a boat to get here."

"That makes sense." Bolin agreed, leaning over the railing to look at the horizon, shading his eyes with a hand. After a minute, he looked around at the others. "They're going to take a while, aren't they?"

Sighs all around. And then -

"Hey! Look! Airbenders!"

* * *

Kai loved behind an airbender. At first, it had just been something he could use, another tool to survive. And then, he'd realized what it really meant. It meant that he was wanted, that he could have a family, one that wouldn't leave him. And to Kai, that realization, had meant the world.

Gliding towards the ship on the horizon, slightly to the side and below Oogi, Kai started to grin, swooping up, towards the bison, and Jinora, who grinned and waved in greeting from Oogi's head. Lightly, Kai touched down, having long ago mastered the skills need to use his flight suit properly. "Did you bring Yoka?"

"Yup!" Jinora grinned, and shifted over, so that Kai could sit down beside her. "She's currently dealing with Ikki."

"Ah." Kai laughed, running his fingers through Oogi's soft fur. Ikki could run circles around anyone, her only real match being Meelo. He would not want to be Yoka right then. "I thought Tenzin didn't want her coming here? With Amon and everything?"

"She's just another airbender trainee." Jinora said, in the tone that indicated she wasn't telling the truth, and Kai should know that. It was the tone she used when she was dumping tour duty on Ikki or when Kai should come to a particular lesson when he wasn't supposed to be there. "Yoka is simply an airbender from the northern water tribe who requested to bring her polar dog along as her parents are unable to care for it on their own."

"Ah." Kai nodded in understanding, and peered over the Oogi's side, down at the water. There was a water tribe boat there, with a couple of people on it. They seemed to be playing a game of catch, using a light, wooden disk, and passing it between each other. He'd seen it before - both the game and the boat. The game was a variation of a Air Nomad sport, although it wasn't really a sport unless you played it on the proper court, or were an airbender, and the boat was often outside the bay. He wasn't quite sure why, although he could guess it was for privacy reasons, or the quiet.

"So, why'd you come meet us early?"

"Oh." Kai's shoulders drooped. "I was supposed to be meditating."

"Kai!"

"I'm not good at it! That stuffs boring, I'd rather go through the gates then do that."

"You love the gates."

"Fall into cactus?"

"You've don't that once."

"I dunno, something really bad." Kai grumbled, falling back against Oogi's fur, and closing his eyes. "I don't know, it's just like - everything, I guess. I can hear the wind chimes and smell the incense and I knew that you were coming back today, or maybe tomorrow, and that Pema was making those snacks of hers, and that you promised to teach me the next set of kata's when you got back and I was thinking about Amon and -"

"All at the same time?" Jinora asked, almost laughing in amusement. Kai threw his hands up in the air, exasperated.

"Yes! And I couldn't make it stop!"

Jinora, unlike Tenzin, who when informed of Kai's issues, had suggested the boy return to his meditation - which Kai hadn't, he'd closed his eyes and looked how he was supposed to and breathed how he was supposed to all while silently calling the man names - considered Kai's situation. "Maybe you need to exercise more? Meelo can get really crazy when he hasn't done much."

"Jinora." Kai said, in a tone that clearly conveyed the idea of how-stupid-do-you-think-I-am, "I have been living on the island for over a year. When exactly have I not spent the entire day running around or sick?"

"Fair. Have you been sleeping alright?"

"No wore than usual. Pema's tea helps, I think. It's hard to tell."

Jinora shook her head, fresh out of suggestions. "Maybe just fake it until we can figure it out."

"What exactly do you think I've been doing?"

"Skipping lessons."

"You're not wrong."

* * *

"Kai." Opal said, as he hovered down to the ground, landing lightly beside Jinora. The older girl wasn't in her flight suit, but traditional Air Nomad clothing, her hair held back by several clips that blended in flush with her dark hair. "You left me along with Bumi and Podan!"

"Sorry." the boy said, not sounding very sorry, a small smile on his face. "Just had to get out of here. Felt trapped."

"You left me with them!" Opal hissed, then leaned to the side, looking around Oogi at the boat, and the people getting off of it. "Whoa. Is that the Avatar? No way."

"Yes way." Kai said, grinning, and taking Opal by the arm. "C'mon, lets go say hi!"

"What? Right now, but it's the Avatar and -"

"She's not the Avatar," Jinora recited in the same tone she'd used before, making both Kai and Opal freeze, listening to her. "She's simply an airbender from the Southern Water Tribe here to learn. She brought her pet polar dog because her parents can't take care of it on their own."

Opal's eyes widened, and she started to smile. Not the half-feed up look she'd worn when she'd told off Kai; the look of an older sibling, but the look she got when she was going to do something she'd enjoy greatly. "Then let's go greet our newest member."

"I thought you were scared." Kai taunted, and she turned to look at him.

"That's when I thought she was the Avatar. But if she's just another airbender -"

"C'mon!" Kai begged, tugging on Opal's wrist, dragging her towards the docks. She laughed, following him, and Jinora patted Oogi's side, before taking off, running after the other two. Kai kicked off the ground, a gust of wind propelling him forwards, ahead of the girls. Jinora, also dressed in the traditional clothing, kicked off after him, and Opal did too, the three of them landing at the start of the docks, laughing and dodging each other's playful hits.


End file.
